Client Stories

Each client who comes to The Mustard Seed has a unique story, and all of them have the same goal – to turn their house into a home so they can rebuild their lives. Your support of The Mustard Seed truly transforms lives and helps makes our community a better place for all. You make all the difference. Learn about your impact by reading the stories below.

Client Story: Maria

With a small amount of savings, Maria and her mother, also named Maria, fled the humanitarian crisis in Venezuela in search of a better life in the United States.
“You cannot walk around in Venezuela without the fear of getting robbed or persecute… continue reading

Client Story: Alexus

For two years, Alexus, 27, struggled through difficult challenges. She lived in her car with five children under the age of 10. To stabilize her family, she then moved to a mobile home only to find it infested with rats and plagued with mold.
“I de… continue reading

Client Story: Carly and Omer

Carly, her husband, Omer, and their 17-year-old son fled Venezuela in 2021 to escape danger for speaking out against the country’s tyrannical government. They took a bus to Colombia, then flew to Mexico and crossed the border into the United S… continue reading

Client Story: Kimberly

Kimberly and her dog, Hasani, a shih tzu poodle mix, lived in a car for two months after moving to Orlando from California.

Kimberly, originally from Orlando, worked at a motel in California but had to leave the state after struggling to pay her … continue reading

Client Story: Vidette and Christopher

Vidette and her husband, Christopher, 4-year-old son, Micah, and Vidette’s mother, Dorothy, were upstairs in their townhome dancing to oldies music when their dog started barking downstairs.
It was about 2 p.m. on a Saturday in March when the famil… continue reading

A Sofa for Conrad

For Conrad, a disabled veteran, adapting to civilian life has been a challenge. When he and his wife decided to start their own business, the company grew and was thriving until the pandemic threw a wrench in their growth. Applications for assistance were denied, and what was once a growing firm dwi…

Read More

Beds for Matt and Phyllis

For Phyllis and James, Hurricane Ian left them with no where to go and very few options. The South Florida couple had retired, and found themselves needing to be rescued by FEMA when their home flooded during the storm. “All we had left were our walkers.” Relocating to Orlando after the storm an…

Read More

A Dresser for Curtis

“My house was flooded out…I lost my clothes, my carpets, my furniture. Everything.” For Curtis, who by trade drives trucks, being on dialysis the last several years has slowed down the momentum of his life. In 2019, he was diagnosed with chronic kidney disease. When Hurricane Ian blew thro…

Read More

Latest News

TMS Furnishes The Bradley House

May 8, 2023

Where do you turn in situations of crisis? For employees of AdventHealth, one option is The Bradley House, which is used by Team Members in need of a safe place to stay as they transition into permanent housing following loss of home, domestic violence incidents, etc. With the help of AdventHealth… read more

10 Years of Leadership: An Interview with Kathy Baldwin

March 23, 2023

The Mustard Seed is not only celebrating its 35th anniversary this year, but also has hit a special leadership milestone. Executive Director, Kathy Baldwin, has been leading The Mustard Seed for 10 years. In the following interview, Kathy shares her experience leading TMS.
Can you share a little b… read more